Someone has to, the other replies.
Soon, they assure.
Today.
Tonight, the owner replies.
Both of us, the other one says. Together.
I remember how my heart pumped the first time I read this. I was in this room, finding this place for the first time. My skin crawled, feeling like I was being watched, but that was over a year ago when I found the place, and if anyone in this text conversation is still alive and knows I’m here, they’re letting me be.
For now.
You watch, the other says.
Why?
Because I want her to look at me.
I brush my thumb over the screen.
Only me, he clarifies.
Their phone’s owner responds, Understood.
It ends. There are no more messages that day. That night. Or in the twenty-two years since.
I’d searched all the other phones, half of which were unsalvageable and the other half had no connection to this one that I could find. What the hell happened that night? Did they kill her? He wanted her to look at him. What did she do? Was it revenge?
I want to know, and I want to know how they got here. Who they belonged to. Whoever owned them would be about my parents’ age.
And whoever left them here is probably still out there. I’m not the only one who knows about this place.
But before I can get sidetracked too long, a light pierces the screen to my right. I look up, seeing Dylan turn my bike onto High Street.
“You sure about this?” she asks, handing me my helmet. “Our parents can have this dealt with today.”
I take the backpack with my laptop and the keys, setting them down in the abandoned garage before tossing her a hoodie. “Stay around people,” I order her. “Okay? I don’t know what to expect, and it’s safer to be on your guard. No practicing at Fallstown by yourself.”
She chews on the corner of her lip. “Fine.” And she immediately closes her mouth after the one-word response.
“I’m serious,” I bark, knowing that’s her tell when she’s lying. “You know I’ll see you. I will lock you down in here with me if I have to.”
She knows I have access to all the cameras in town.
“I got it,” she blurts out. “I’m not stupid.”
“Not when you take the time to think, no.”
She overcompensates, because she’s Jared Trent’s daughter. If she’s not as good as him on the track, then they say it’s because she’s a girl, and that’s the message she picked up on really early in life. It’s been balls to the wall ever since to prove everyone wrong. Hopefully it doesn’t get her killed someday.
The door creaks behind me, and I look to see Aro enter, having followed me. The old fire house is three roofs down from the hideout, so we just climbed up, out, and back in. All without being seen.
I pull out my laptop, examining it to make sure it didn’t get wet, and then pull out my phone, texting Kade.
Be careful today, I tell him. Don’t make anything worse.
“Here,” I hear Dylan say. “It’s what I owe you.”
I glance up and see her hand Aro a roll of cash.
I make it fun, he replies.
I shake my head, rubbing my face.
I start to type, but then I hear Aro curse in Spanish, followed by, “Now that I’m on the run and you feel sorry for me? I don’t need your charity, Trent.”
I cock a brow as I crack my neck. I’ve had enough fun, I type.
“No, you need a bath.” Dylan scrunches up her face as she plugs her nose, looking at me. “She smells like the fish pond.”
Oh, Jesus.
Aro launches for her, but I grab the hood of her jacket and yank her back. Dammit. Can I have just five minutes here?
You need to be the responsible one now, I punch the buttons on my phone, telling Kade. Please.
I grip Aro’s coat as she tries to squirm out of my hold, but I wait for Kade’s reply.
Fine. And I don’t feel at ease with his one-word reply any more than I do when I get it from Dylan.
I tuck my phone away and release the Rebel, but I move forward before she can rearrange my cousin’s face.
“Talk to Hunter,” I instruct Dylan. “Tell him to keep St. Matt’s away this year. We’ve got enough to deal with from Weston, and I don’t want him involved in all this, too.”
Grudge Night is a huge draw for all the high schools in the area, but everyone needs to lay low this year.
Dylan purses her lips, looking away. “Like Hunter cares. Grudge Night is so far off his radar, I’m sure he’s not the least bit interested in our petty games.” She folds her arms over her chest. “He left me on Read the last two times I texted.”
“That’s fine,” I tell her. “He doesn’t have to respond to get the message.”